Separable-section trunk



March-19,1929. J. RITTER, JR

I SEPARABLE SECTION TRUNK 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 26. 1928 INVENTOR. f @1111 BY M79 ATTORNEY6 March 19, 1929 J rr-r JR 1,705,536

SEPARABLE SEC'ITION TRUNK Filed May 26. 1928 2 Sheets-Shet 2 "MIHII l INVENTOR. BY X1 A TTORNEY6 separable -section trunks. V V v Trunks and particularly wardrobe trunks,

Patented Mar. 19, P329."

ems stares JULIUS BITTER, 512., or Racine, Wisconsin, nssrenon TO EARTMANN TRUNK 00M PANY, or BAGINE, WISCONSIN, A conronn'rioivorWisconsin.

SEPARABL'E-SECTION TRUNK.

Application filed. ma as, 1928. Serial No. 280,755.1

This invention relates to improvements in are ordinarily .formed with two hingedly connected sections which in use are vertically positioned and'are adapted to be opened by being swung outwardly with respect to 'each other. In swinging the trunk sections to open position some space is required and in cramped quarters, such as small ship cabins, state-rooms and thelike; it is either inconvenient, due to the lack of space, to open thetrunk, or the trunk in open position willoccupy too much'space. g

It is therefore, the primary object of the present invention to overcome theabove objections by providing a trunk in which the twosections are separably hingedly connected together. V

A further. object of the invention is to provide a trunk of the class described in Whichthe two sections are 'hingedly connected by aplurality of locking hingefmembers which may be released-or disengaged from one section, permitting the separation of the two sections for convenience in handling or storage.

A further object'of the invention is to provide in a two section trunk, a plurality of locking hinge members connecting said I sections and all operable simultaneously by acommonmeans to release one section to permit its disengagement fro mjthe other seewith respect to each. other.

latter are arranged for easy connection be tween the hasps and the escutcheons and latches when the trunk sections a are to be oined.

A further object of the invention is to provide a separable section trunk which is of very simple construction, is easily manip- 'ulated, is strong and durable, and is well adapted'for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved separable section trunk and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims,, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which TEN-T the same reference characters indicate the.

sameparts in all of the views: p

Fig. 1 is'a vertical sectional viewotfthe separable section trunk with the two sec-, trons connected and' closed with respect to each other; 1 V

F g. 2 1s .a cross-sectional view indicated on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 only showing the sections swung open-with respect to each other;

. Fig. isanenlarged fragmentary detail sectional view showing thetrunk sections Y closed and one locking hinge in" engaging position, it being shown in disengaged position in dotted lines; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on I line 4. '4 of Fig. 3.

drawings,"it willappear that the numeral- 8 1nd1cates a'wardrobe trunkhaving a wardrobe section 9 anda "drawerTsection;10. T

'Each of said sections has an open side and said open sides are brought together with the adjacent wall portions of the sections in overlapping engagementwhen the sections are. closed. The invention resides particularly in'the means employed for hingedly and disconnectibly joining the sections 8 and v9. For

that purpose a plurality of 'spacedhinging lock members 11 is provided. Each lock portions 13 between which the curved tongue portion 14 of ,a haspmember "15, extends, a

pivot rod" 16 being extended;throughv the lug'po'rtions 13 and the tongue portion'15"to pivotally joint therhasp member to, the plate portion. Each pivot. rod 16 has wound comprises a fixedplate portion 12which is I thereabout the intermediate portion ofa .con- V formed witha squared open ng 19.

The wardrobe section 9 has mounted on its side wall in juxtaposition to the ha'sp inembers 15, a plurality of escutcheons20adaptedto receive adjacent hasp rnembersywhen I has an inwardly projecting lug portion 18 I leased, its springwill-iirge it to the dotted the same are in locked position. The hasp members ar'e adapted to be releasably held in locked position within their escutcheons by a plurality of spring urged latches 21. Each 'escut'cheon is formed with an inwardly projecting casing portion and a latch is vertically movably mounted within each casing portion. Said latches are formed with depending shank portions 22 extending through the lowerend portions of the eas- -ings and also with laterally projecting headed guide pins 23 projecting .tlirough vertical slots 24' in the side wallsol the cas ing. Coiled springs 25 surround the shank portions 22 within the casings and urge the latches into operative positions.

- is formed with an angularly shaped engagner edge adapted to ride into the opening ing headportion 21 having an inclined in- 19 of its hasp lug 18 for locking purposes, as in Fig. 4. I J 7 All of thelatches 21 are adapted to be operated simultaneously and for that purpose an elongated vertically movable rod 26, formed with ahandle 27 at its upper. end portion, is sli'dably mountedin a bracket 28 on an inner wall ,otthe trunk section 9,

Levers 29 are ,pivotally mounted below each latch and the inner end portion of each lever is pivotally connected to the vrod 26. The outer end portion of each lever'is connected to the lower end portionof the adjacent latch shank 22 by means of several links 30.

By this arrangement, when the rod 26 is moved vertically upwardly, the levers 29 will be caused to pivot in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1, drawing downwardly on the latch shanks 22 to release the latches from thehasps. When therod 26 is released the springs 25 surrounding the latch shanks will return said latches to normal position. 7 Normally, all, of the hasps are' l-atched,

therebylconnecting the adjacentedge por-, tions of the rear walls of thetrunk; sections and permitting one section to be hingedly moved with, respect to the othersection, this being rallowedby the pivot rods 16 which connect eac lrhasp 1ne1nber with its plate portion, When the trunk sections are closed Ias'for transportation, the front portions of said sections are held together by ordinary locking mean's, indicatedatEiland 32 in Fig.

2. If it isdesired to separate the trunk scc-.

' tions for convenience in use in close quarters,

or for handling or storage,jthe front portions of the sections are opened slightly and then by means of the common mechanism previously described, all of the latches are released from their respect1ve hasps, and the hasps, due to their springs 17 will open, as

7 shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, and separate'the sections. In closing the hasps,

to oin the sections, the hasps are pushed into l their escutcheons and the inclined, portions of the latch heads will cause the same to ride Each latch into their respective hasp openings l9,'thereother section, and latch members releasa-' said hinge members. I c

2. A trunk, comprising a pair of sections, a plurality of hinge members secured'fast to one of the sections and releasably engage:

able with the other section, a plurality of latch members mounted within'lsaid other section for releasable engagement with sa1d hinge member, andv means for jointly operati ng said latch members.

3. The comb nation with a trunkhaviiig a pair or" complementarysections, of a plate member secured to a wallet one of said sec- ,tions. a hasp pivotally, secured to said plate member, and alatch member carried by the other trunk section andraeasabiy engageable with said hasp, the latch memberwhen engagedwith the hasp permittinghinging bly engageableiwith releasable portions of movements of one trunk section with respect to the other.

a pairolf complementary sections, of a pin rahty of spaced plate members secured to a wall oi one of said sections, a hasp meat 4. The combination atrunk having ber pivotally connectedto each plate niemher, a plurality-of latch members operably secured. to theother trunk section, each latch being releasably en 'agea'ble with a hasp member, and means tor jointly. moving said vlatchesto haspreleas'ing position.

0. The combination with a trunk having a pair of complementary sections, ofafplue rality. oi spaced hasps pivotally secured to a wall of o11e-o l saidtrunk sections, each.-

hasp being provided withJ a-fspiing exerting an expansive opening force thereagain'st, a plurality of latch members operably secured to the other trunk section, and each releasably engaging a hasp member, each. latch being provided with a: spring to releasably hold it in latching position, an operating member mounted within said last-,inentioned trunk section, and connections between said operating member and each latclrwhereby a movement of the operating member will be transmitted .to said latches to jointly move all of the same to releasing positions.

6. The combination with a trunk having a pair of complementary sections, of a plurality of spaced plate members secured to a wall of one of said sections, a hasp member pivotally connected to each plate member.

and having its outer end portion formed with an inwardly projecting apertured lug portion, each hasp member being provided with a spring exerting an expansive force against its inner surface, a plurality of spaced escutcheons mounted in a wall of the other trunk section and adapted to receive the apertured lug portions of their adjacent hasp members, a plurality of latch members operably secured to the other trunk section adjacent the escutcheons and each releasably engaging a hasp member, each latch being provided'with a' spring to releasably hold it in latching positioman operating member mounted within said last-ment oned trunksection, and connections between said movementof the operating member will be transmitted to said latches'to jointlymove JULIUS BITTER, JR.

operating member and each latch whereby a 

